Side-by-side comparison of Greenville, SC and Charleston, SC — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Greenville has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.26% compared to Charleston's 3.51%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $280,000 in Greenville vs $410,000 in Charleston, while rents come in at $1,380/mo and $1,750/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Charleston is growing faster at 2.2% annually vs Greenville's 1.6%. Charleston leads on home value appreciation at 4% per year. Strong population growth typically translates to sustained rental demand and long-term price support.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.55% in Greenville vs 0.57% in Charleston. Vacancy rates of 5.2% and 4.8% are both healthy, suggesting strong tenant demand in both markets.
Bottom line: Greenville edges out Charleston on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 4.26%, Greenville's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Greenville or Charleston.